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Cllr Breandán Fitzgerald , Ailis Brosnan from Tralee – Senior Health Promotion Officer with the HSE , Philip Fitzgibbon Splash Sports ,Michael Fitzgerald Chief Officer Cork Kerry Community HSE and Gearoid O Doherty Kerry Recreation and Sports Partnership Kerry County Council . Pictured at the launch the Healthy Ireland Swim distance marker buoys placed in the water at Sandy Bay beach West Kerry. Photo by Domnick Walsh
HEALTHY Ireland Swim distance marker buoys have been placed at 100 metre intervals to create a 1,200 metre sea swimming circuit at Sandy Bay, Castlegregory.
Sandy Bay is a popular and safe swimming destination with an east facing aspect, providing shelter from the prevailing South West winds making it a safe choice in most weather conditions. Trained lifeguards are on duty there throughout the busy Summer months.
Michael Fitzgerald, Chief Officer Cork Kerry Community Healthcare launched the project this week and highlighted the importance of such initiatives which facilitate physical activity and wellbeing.
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“As a coastal county, we have an enormous asset available for everyone to enjoy. I am confident that the swim markers will encourage existing and new users to get into the water and swim, an activity that is good for mind and body,” he said.
Gabrielle O’Keeffe, Head of Service Health & Wellbeing, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare thanked Philip Fitzgibbon, local lifeguards and the volunteers at Castlegregory Blueway for their support to bring the project to fruition and using their experience of swimming in the area to assist in the positioning of the marker buoys.
She also acknowledged the Irish Water Safety Association, and Kerry County Council who worked closely to develop associated safety signage on the beach.
The implementation of the swim distance markers in Castlegregory supports the Keep Well campaign improving opportunities for safe and enjoyable physical activities.
The “Keep Well” campaign is aimed at showing people of all ages how we can mind our own physical and mental health and wellbeing by adding healthy and helpful habits to our daily and weekly routines.
The Healthy Ireland swim distance marker buoys will encourage safer swimming among novice and experienced open water swimmers making the healthy choice the easy choice.
Philip Fitzgibbon of Castlegregory Blueway said; “With hundreds of regular swimmers enjoying swimming from dawn to dusk, these buoys are a fantastic addition to Kerry Sea swimming infrastructure. The swim distance markers provide certainty of distance so that people can incrementally and safely improve their sea swimming. Sandy Bay has become a destination for water lovers of all abilities, the distance markers complement the private provision of water activities through local business Splashsports.”
Maebh Uí Ainiféin, Irish Water Safety, encouraged beach users to be responsible at all times around water. “Know your ability and take note of all safety information in advance of entering the water”. Further education around your safety in water is available on Water Safety Ireland website www.iws.ie or on the Council’s Beach Lifeguard Service Facebook page.
